Electronic components, such as integrated circuits, are commonly subjected to stress testing before being used in order to detect those components that will fail early in their lifetime. One technique of stress testing is known as "burn-in" testing and involves assembling individual components on individual electronic packaging substrates, loading each substrate into its own test socket, mounting the test socket onto a so called "burn-in" test board, and subjecting the resulting test assembly to a predetermined electrical potential difference at an elevated temperature (e.g., 125.degree. C. or above) for an extended period of time (e.g., up to 168 hours or more). While this technique successfully detects those components that are prone to early failure, it is not entirely satisfactory.
Thus, each of the above operations must be done separately for as many electronic components as are to be tested. Additionally, the resulting test assemblies are bulky and minimize the number of components that can be placed in a test oven at a given time. Furthermore, once burn-in testing has been completed, each of the test assemblies must be disassembled. As a result, this test technique is time consuming, expensive, and inconvenient,
The elevated temperatures utilized in the test also cause certain problems. Typically the test sockets and burn-in boards are designed to the reused. Thus, for example, they are made from materials that are resistant to the temperatures utilized in the test and are designed to permit ready assembly and disassembly of the test structure. Consequently, they employ mechanical fastening devices such as pins, clips, and springs to hold the structure together. Such sockets and boards are, therefore, expensive. Moreover, the nature of the burn-in test requires that a large inventory of such parts be maintained. Even though these parts are especially designed, they still wear out due to repeated use and the rigorous conditions under which they are used.